Shutter device with guideways

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a shutter device intended to close an opening, the shutter ( 1 ) being able to be moved downwards and upwards between an open position and a closed position, this shutter ( 1 ) having flexible or articulated roughly continuous lateral edges ( 8, 9 ) running with respect to guideways ( 10, 11 ) mounted on fixed supports ( 12 ) on each side of the opening, means being provided to allow a passage to be created between the guideways ( 10, 11 ) that is wider than the distance between the lateral edges ( 8, 9 ) of the shutter ( 1 ) when the latter is in the open position.

The invention relates to a shutter device intended to close an opening,such as a bay or a corridor, the shutter being able to be moveddownwards and upwards between an open position and a closed position,this shutter having flexible roughly continuous lateral edges runningwith respect to roughly vertical guideways mounted on fixed supports oneach side of the passage or other opening.

At the present time it is not possible to use the full width of, forexample, a corridor when a shutter device is mounted in this corridor.In the known shutter device of the aforementioned type the shutter is,for example, wound around a drum provided over the passage. In order tobe able to drive the drum, the latter has a central spindle on which amotor is mounted in a direct drive relationship. This motor is providedlaterally to the side of the drum, which means that the drum cannotextend across the entire width of the corridor. Thus, the passageobtained between the guideways of such a device is always appreciablynarrower than the width of the corridor.

When the shutter device is mounted in a bay provided in a wall, theguideways are fixed to the wall on each side of the bay. That has thedisadvantage that, when the lateral edges of the shutter disengage fromthe guideways as a result of contact between the shutter and anobstacle, such as a vehicle for example, the lateral edges of theshutter may strike the wall near the guideways and thus become damaged.

One of the essential objects of the present invention is to present ashutter device allowing practically the entire width of a bay or of acorridor to be used as a passage when the shutter device is mounted in abay or corridor. In addition, the shutter device, according to theinvention, prevents the lateral edges of the shutter from being able tobe damaged once these edges are disengaged from the guideways.

To this end, according to the invention, means are provided to allow apassage to be created between the guideways that is wider than thedistance between the lateral edges of the shutter when the latter is inthe open position.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, when theshutter is in the open position, the distance between at least the lowerpart of the roughly vertical guideways is greater than the width of theshutter, the aforesaid means allowing the distance between the lowerpart of the guideways and the width of the shutter to be adapted to oneanother when the shutter is closed so that this distance and this widthare approximately equal so as to be able to take up a difference inwidth, larger or smaller.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the guidewaysare flexible, at least at their upper part.

Advantageously, the guideways are mounted so as to be able to move withrespect to the fixed supports. These guideways are, in particular,mounted elastically on the aforesaid fixed supports.

According to a particular embodiment of the device according to theinvention, an elastic strip extends over roughly the entire height ofthe aforesaid passage between the supports and the guideways.

Advantageously, the shutter consists of a continuous tarpaulincomprising a roughly elastic region which extends along the length ofthe shutter.

Other details and particulars of the invention will become apparent fromthe description given hereinafter by way of non-limiting example of someparticular embodiments of a shutter device according to the invention,with reference to the appended drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a first embodiment of a shutterdevice in the open position according to the invention, which is mountedin a corridor.

FIG. 2 is a section on II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the shutter device of FIG. 1 in theclosed position.

FIG. 5 is a section on V-V of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of a guideway of the shutter devicedepicted in FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of one alternative embodiment of theguideway.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of a second embodiment of a shutterdevice in the open position according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic front view of the shutter device of FIG. 8 in theopen position.

FIG. 10 is a schematic depiction of a section on X-X of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a schematic top view of a third embodiment of the guidewaymounted in a corridor.

FIG. 12 is a schematic top view of a fourth embodiment of the guidewaymounted in a corridor.

FIG. 13 is a schematic top view of a fifth embodiment of the guidewaymounted against a bay.

FIG. 14 is a schematic top view of a sixth embodiment of the guidewaymounted in a bay.

FIG. 15 is a schematic top view of a seventh embodiment of the guidewaymounted in a bay.

FIG. 16 is a schematic depiction of an eighth embodiment of theguideway, with the shutter in the open position, mounted against a bay.

FIG. 17 depicts the guideway of FIG. 16 with the shutter in the closedposition.

FIG. 18 depicts the guideway of FIGS. 16 and 17 with the shutter in theclosed position when a pushing force is exerted on the plane of theshutter.

FIG. 19 is a schematic depiction of a cross section of a particularembodiment of the shutter when the latter is in the closed position.

FIG. 20 is a schematic depiction of a cross section of the shutter ofFIG. 19 in the open position.

In the various figures, the same reference numerals relate to the sameelements or to elements that are analogous.

In general, the present invention relates to a shutter devicecollaborating with drive means, such as a drum, the spindle of which isconnected to the shaft of an electric motor. The shutter, able to movedownwards and upwards between, respectively, a closed position and anopen position, is intended to close a bay in a wall or any opening.

The term “shutter” should be understood, in the context of the presentinvention, to mean any flat at least partially supple, flexible,semirigid or rigid element or any flat element with one or morestiffeners, such as a tarpaulin, a strip of plastic, a metal gauze, atrellis, a metal sheet or a metal shutter, etc.

It should, however, be noted that particular preference is afforded toflexible shutters formed, for example, of a tarpaulin. Thus, the figuresrelate to a shutter 1 consisting of a tarpaulin the lateral edges ofwhich are, for example, provided with a bulge or with a succession oflittle rigid blocks articulated together.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a shutter device according to a first embodiment ofthe invention, which is mounted in a corridor 2 between two parallelwalls 3 and 4 and underneath a ceiling 5. The shutter device comprises adrum 6 depicted schematically, on which a shutter 1 is wound and whichis provided on one of its sides with drive means collaborating with thedrum 6. These drive means comprise an electric motor 7 in direct drivewith the drum 6. The distance between the walls 3 and 4 is greater thanthe width of the mechanism comprising the motor 7 and the drum 6.

The lateral edges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1 are guided in roughlyvertical guideways 10 and 11 mounted on the opposite walls 3 and 4 ofthe corridor 2. As depicted schematically in FIG. 6, the guideway 10 or11 is fixed by means of a support 12 to the wall 3 or 4. This support 12is formed of a bar with a semicircular cross section running verticallyagainst the wall 3 or 4 as far as the location of the drum 6. Betweenthe support 12 and the guideway 10 or 11 there is a continuous andflexible connecting strip 13 which extends over practically the entirelength of the guideway 10 or 11. As a preference, this strip 13 is madeof an elastic material such as rubber for example. When the shutter 1 isin the open position depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3, the strip 13 and theguideways 10 or 11 are folded back into a position close to the walls 3or 4 from a certain distance from the lower edge 14 of the shutter 1down to the bottom of the passage. Thus, the width of the passage formedbetween the guideways 10 and 11 corresponds roughly to the distancebetween the walls 3 and 4. In FIG. 6, the close-up position 16 of theguideways 10 or 11 is depicted in continuous line. In this close-upposition 16, the passage formed between the guideways 10 and 11 is widerthan the distance between the lateral edges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1.

In the part of the guideways 10 and 11 upstream 15 with respect to thelower edge 14 of the shutter 1, when the latter is in its open position,particularly in the upper part of the guideways, the distance betweenthe guideways 10 and 11 corresponds approximately to the distancebetween the lateral edges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1. At the location ofthis upstream part 15, the guideways 10 and 11 hold the lateral edges 8and 9 of the shutter 1 and find themselves in a separated position 17with respect to the walls 3 and 4. This separated position 17 of theguideway 10 or 11 is depicted in broken line in FIG. 6.

As illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, because of the elasticity of the strips13, the position of these strips 13 and of the guideways 10 and 11varies gradually in a transition zone 18 along these guideways 10 and 11between the separated position in the aforesaid upstream part 15 and theclose-up position 16 in the downstream part of the guideways 10 and 11with respect to the lower edge 14 of the shutter 1 when the latter is inits open position.

To this end, at least the part of the guideways 10 and 11 that issituated in this transition zone 18 is flexible.

In FIGS. 3 and 6, intermediate positions of the strip 13 and of theguideways 10 and 11 between the close-up position 16 and the separatedposition 17 are depicted in broken line.

As the shutter 1 runs towards its closed position, the transition zone18 moves together with the lower edge 14 of the shutter 1 until theguideways 10 and 11 and the strip 13 are, over practically their entirelength, in the separated position 17 as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus,the distance between the downstream part of the guideways 10 and 11 isadapted to the width of the shutter 1.

In the embodiment of the shutter device according to the invention, theguideways 10 and 11 preferably form a single entity with theabovementioned strip 13.

Because of the flexibility of the guideways 10 and 11 and of theelasticity of the strip 13, it is possible to absorb any unevenness ofthe walls 3 or 4 to which the strip 13 is fixed by means of the support12.

Obviously such a support 12 is not always needed. The strip 13 may, forexample, be fixed directly to the walls 3 and 4 by means of simplescrews in the close-up position 16 so that when the shutter 1 is in itsopen position, at least the lower part of the strip 13 is always foldedback towards the walls 3 and 4 by virtue of its elasticity.

In another embodiment of the device according to the invention asdepicted in FIG. 7, the guideway 10 or 11 is provided with an elasticstrip 13 extending between a support 12 which is fixed to the wall 3 or4 of a corridor. When the shutter 1 is in the open position, the strip13 extends roughly transversely with respect to the wall 3 or 4 so thatthe edges of the shutter 1 are in a close-up position with respect tothese walls 3 or 4. Since the distance between the guideways 10 and 11is greater than the width of the shutter 1, the strip 13 is, because ofits elasticity, widened under the action of the guideways 10 and 11during the downwards movement of the shutter 1 while it is closing.Thus, the guideways 10 and 11 are moved automatically into the saidseparated position with respect to the walls 3 and 4 as the lateraledges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1 slide in these guideways 10 and 11.

FIGS. 8 to 10 depict a very advantageous embodiment of the shutterdevice according to the invention, which differs from the embodimentdescribed hereinabove in that the position of the guideways 10 and 11when the shutter 1 is in the closed position corresponds roughly totheir position when the shutter 1 is in the open position. The strip 13,extending between the guideways 10 and 11 and the support 12 by means ofwhich this strip is fixed to the walls 3 and 4, is mounted in such a wayas to run roughly transversely with respect to these walls 3 and 4.

Because this strip 13 is made of an elastic material, such as rubber forexample, a passage is created that has a width that can vary between thedistance between the guideways 10 and 11 and the distance between thesupports 12. In particular, when a vehicle passes through this passage,this vehicle may push one of the guideways 10 or 11 back, bending thestrip 13, so as to open the passage. After the vehicle has passedthrough this passage, the strip 13 and the guideways 10 or 11 returnautomatically to their original position because of the elasticity ofthe strip 13. As a preference, the guideways are also made of an elasticor flexible material.

In FIGS. 9 and 10, the position of the strip 13 and of the guideways 10and 11 as a vehicle passes is depicted schematically by a dotted line.

In order to prevent the lateral edges of the shutter 1 having to bereintroduced into the upper part of the guideways after the strips 13have been flexed and folded back, means are provided for allowing thelateral edges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1 to be held in at least the upperpart of the guideways 10 and 11. These means comprise, for example, afixing of the upper part of the guideways 10 and 11 at a distance fromone another which corresponds roughly to the distance between thelateral edges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1.

This embodiment has the advantage that, when the driver of a vehiclewishes to pass through the passage, he steers towards the point formedbetween the guideways 10 and 11, so that the probability of the vehiclestriking one of the walls 3 or 4 is appreciably reduced by comparisonwith conventional shutter devices which have fixed guideways.

FIG. 11 depicts a third embodiment of a guideway 10 or 11 according tothe invention, in which the guideway is mounted on a support 12 fixed toa wall 3 or 4 by a roughly rigid continuous strip 13 extending betweenthis guideway 10 or 11 and the support 12. This strip 13 is articulatedwith respect to the support 12.

This guideway 10 or 11 collaborates, as a preference, with a pullingmember, not depicted in FIG. 11, allowing this guideway to be foldedover into the close-up position 16 when the shutter 1 is in the openposition, the strip 13 then extending roughly parallel to the wall 3 or4. This pulling member comprises, for example, a spring or elasticcomponents which are provided between the guideways 10 or 11 and thesupport 12 or between the guideways 10 or 11 and the wall 3 or 4.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the guideway 10 or11. This guideway 10 or 11 can be moved between a separated position 17,depicted in broken line, and a close-up position 16, depicted incontinuous line, with respect to a support 12 comprising two parallelsection pieces 12′ and 12″ mounted a certain distance apart on the wall3 or 4. Between the guideway 10 or 11 and each section piece 12′ and 12″there are elastic components 13′ and 13″ so that when the shutter deviceis in the open position the guideway is brought close up to the wall 3or 4 by the action of these elastic components 13′ and 13″. When theshutter 1, the width of which is less than the distance between theguideways 10 and 11 in their close-up position, is closed, the guideway10 or 11 is separated from the wall 3 or 4.

FIGS. 13 and 14 depict a fifth and a sixth embodiment of the guidewayaccording to the invention, in which embodiments the shutter device 1 isprovided, respectively, against a bay 19 or in a bay 19. The guideways10 and 11 are, like in the case of the guideways described hereinabove,fixed by means of a strip 13 to a support 12 attached to the wall at thelocation of the bay 19. This strip 13, made of an elastic and flexiblematerial, extends, when the shutter is in the open position, roughlytransversely with respect to the wall in which the bay 19 is made, sothat the width of the passage between the guideways 10 and 11corresponds roughly to the width of the bay 19.

When the shutter 1 is in the closed position, the guideways areseparated from the contour of the bay 19 in the separated position,depicted in broken line in FIGS. 13 and 14.

FIG. 15 shows, on a larger scale, one of the guideways 10 or 11 of FIGS.8 to 9. The guideway runs transversely with respect to the wall 3 or 4in a separated position 17 with respect to this wall 3 or 4. When avehicle passes through the passage formed between the guideways 10 and11, folding back the elastic strip 13 provided between the guideways 10and 11 and a support 12 fixed to the wall 3 or 4, the guideways 10 and11 are brought into a close-up position 16, thus widening the passagebetween them.

FIGS. 16 to 18 show one side of an eighth embodiment of a shutter devicemounted at the location of a bay 19. In this embodiment, a support 12 isfixed to the wall 20 along the two opposite sides of the bay by means ofbolts 21. A guideway 10 or 11 running roughly parallel to this support12 is attached to the latter by an elastic strip 13.

When the shutter 1 is in the open position as depicted in FIG. 16, theguideway 10 or 11 runs in a position close up to the wall 20 along thelateral side of the bay 19.

During the downwards movement of the shutter 1 towards its closedposition, the guideways 10 and 11 are gradually moved into a separatedposition with respect to the wall 20, widening the strip 13. In thisseparated position, depicted in FIG. 17, the guideways 10 and 11 lie infront of the bay 19.

When a pushing force is exerted on the plane of the shutter 1, forexample by the wind, the strip 13 is lengthened further, as depicted inFIG. 18, so as to prevent the shutter 1 from becoming disengaged fromthe guideways 10 or 11.

Between the guideway 10 or 11 and the corresponding support 12 there areseveral cords 22 to make sure that the strip 13 is not widened beyond acertain limit. The length of these cords 22 corresponds to the maximumdistance over which the strip 13 can be stretched without it becomingdamaged.

This embodiment is very advantageous because, during the downwards orupwards movement of the shutter 1, the guideways 10 and 11 lie facingthe opening of the bay 19, which means that when a vehicle comes intocontact with the shutter 1 and the lateral edges 8 and 9 thereofdisengage from the guideways 10 or 11, these lateral edges 8 and 9cannot be thrown against the wall 20 and are therefore not damaged bythe effect of such violent contact with the wall 20.

It is obvious that, in order to match, on the one hand, the distancebetween the part of the guideways downstream of the lower edge 14 of theshutter 1 when the latter is in its open position with, on the otherhand, the width of the shutter so that this distance and this width areroughly equal, it is possible for the guideways 10 and 11 to be mountedso that they are roughly fixed on a wall at the location of a bay or ina corridor. In such a case, the distance between the lateral edges 8 and9 of the shutter 1 when the latter is in the open position is shorterthan the distance between the lateral edges 8 and 9 of the shutter 1 inthe closed position.

For this, the shutter 1 comprises at least one strip made of an elasticmaterial extending continuously or discontinuously over the entirelength of the shutter 1. As the shutter 1 closes, this strip isstretched gradually during the downwards movement of the shutter 1.

Advantageously, the entire shutter 1 consists of a continuous tarpaulincomprising a roughly elastic region which extends up to at least onelateral edge 8 or 9 of the shutter 1.

According to another embodiment, the shutter 1 is made of a roughlyelastic material.

In FIGS. 19 and 20, a shutter 1 is depicted which has elastic components23 able to match the distance between the lateral edges 8 and 9 of theshutter 1. In particular, in FIG. 19, the shutter 1 is depicted with thelateral edges 8 and 9 held in fixed guideways 10 and 11 in the closedposition. In this closed position, the shutter 1 is stretched betweenthe guideways 10 and 11, in the continuation of the elastic components23.

While the shutter 1 is being opened, the lateral edges 8 and 9 are nolonger held in the guideways 10 and 11 beyond the upper part thereof.The lateral edges of this part of the shutter 1, beyond the guideways,are closer together so that the distance between the lateral edges 8 and9 of the shutter 1 is shorter than the distance between the guideways 10and 11, as depicted schematically in FIG. 20. The shutter 1 is then, forexample, wound around a drum the width of which is shorter than thewidth of the passage formed between the guideways 10 and 11.

In a very advantageous embodiment of the shutter device according to theinvention, the guideways 10 and 11 are mounted in slots made in thewalls 3 and 4 so that when the shutter 1 is open these guidewayscompletely enter these slots when they occupy the said close-upposition. By contrast, in the closed position, the guideways extend outof these slots when they occupy the said separated position. Thus,practically all of the space between the walls 3 and 4 can be used as apassage.

Of course, the invention is not restricted to the various embodimentsdescribed hereinabove; other alternative forms yet may be envisagedwithout departing from the scope of the present invention, particularlyas regards the mounting of the guideways.

Thus, the guideways may be connected to the support by means of aflexible tarpaulin which is substantially stretched when the guidewaysare in the separated position when the shutter is closed. Between theguideways and the corresponding supports, elastic components may beprovided so as to return the guideways automatically to the close-upposition when the shutter is open.

Whereas in the above description the lateral edges of the shutter areprovided with a bulge, other means may be present for guiding thelateral edges of the shutter in the guideways. The lateral edges of theshutter may for example comprise a succession of little rigid blocksarticulated together.

Furthermore, in some cases, it is possible for the guideways to beprovided at the lateral edges of the shutter, while a bulge, or someother element able to slide in the guideways, is mounted on the supportfixed to the aforementioned wall.

Finally, the guideways may be flexible over their entire length or justthe upper part of the guideways may be flexible. When a shutter is usedwhich has an elastic region in its longitudinal direction, the guidewaysmay be rigid.

Obviously the application of the shutter device is not restricted tovertical doors, but many other applications are also possible, forexample, such as the covering of swimming pools, awnings, sheltersagainst the rain or the sun, canopies, etc. Thus, the guideways mayextend one above the other in a vertical plane or one beside the otherin a horizontal plane.

1. Shutter device intended to close an opening, the shutter deviceincluding flexible guideways (10), fixed supports (12) on which saidflexible guideways (10) are mounted on each side of the opening, and ashutter (1) being able to be moved between an open position and a closedposition, said shutter (1) having lateral edges (8, 9) running in saidflexible guideways (10, 11), characterized in that elastic means areprovided to connect the flexible guideways to the fixed supports suchthat the distance between the guideways (10,11) downstream of the loweredge (14) of the shutter (1) is greater than the width of the shutter(1) when the latter is in the open position, and such that, when theshutter is moved towards the closed position, the distance between theguideways (10,11) is gradually adapted to the width of the shutter (1)in a transition zone (18) along the guideways as the lateral edges (8,9)of the shutter (1) slide in the guideways (10,11), wherein at least thepart of the guideways situated in the transition zone is flexible alongthe longitudinal direction of the guideways.
 2. Device according toclaim 1, characterized in that the guideways (10,11) are mounted in anelastic manner with respect to the support (12) such that, in the openposition of the shutter (1), the guideways (10,11) downstream of thelower edge (14) of the shutter (1) are in a close-up position (16) withrespect to the support (12), and such that, in the closed position ofthe shutter (1), the guideways (10,11) are in a separated position (17)with respect to the support (12), and such that the guideways (10,11)are moving gradually towards said separated position (17) duringmovement of the shutter (1) towards the closed position.
 3. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the guideways (10, 11) areflexible, at least in their upstream part (15) with respect to the loweredge (14) of the shutter (1) when the latter is in the open position. 4.Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guideways (10,11) are mounted so as to be able to move with respect to the fixedsupports (12).
 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that theguideways (10, 11) are mounted elastically on the fixed supports (12).6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guideways (10,11) are articulated with respect to the fixed supports (12).
 7. Deviceaccording to claim 6, characterized in that the guideways (10, 11) areprovided with at least one arm (13) extending between the supports (12)and the guideways (10, 11), this arm (13) being articulated with respectto the supports (12) so that it can be folded down.
 8. Device accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the guideways (10, 11) are providedwith a flexible strip (13) extending between the supports (12) and theguideways (10, 11) over substantially the entire length of the guideways(10,11).
 9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a pullingmember is provided between the supports (12) and the guideways (10, 11)allowing the guideways (10, 11) to be folded down or brought closer tothe supports (12).
 10. Device according to claim 1, characterized inthat the shutter (1) comprises at least one strip of elastic materialextending continuously or discontinuously along the entire length of theshutter (1).
 11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that theshutter (1) consists of a continuous tarpaulin comprising a roughlyelastic region which extends near to at least one lateral edge (8, 9) ofthe shutter (1).
 12. Device according to claim 1, characterized in thatpractically the entire shutter (1) is made of a roughly elasticmaterial.
 13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that theends (15) of the guideways (10, 11) upstream of the lower edge of theshutter (1), when the latter is in the open position, are mounted afixed distance apart which corresponds substantially to the width of theshutter (1).
 14. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that theguideways (10, 11) are flexible, at least in their downstream part (16)with respect to the lower edge (14) of the shutter (1) when the latteris in the open position.
 15. Device according to claim 2, characterizedin that the guideways (10, 11) are mounted so as to be able to move withrespect to the fixed supports (12).
 16. Device according to claim 3,characterized in that the guideways (10, 11) are mounted so as to beable to move with respect to the fixed supports (12).
 17. Deviceaccording to claim 14, characterized in that the guideways (10, 11) aremounted so as to be able to move with respect to the fixed supports(12).
 18. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that theguideways (10, 11) are mounted elastically on the fixed supports (12).19. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the guideways(10, 11) are mounted elastically on the fixed supports (12).
 20. Deviceaccording to claim 14, characterized in that the guideways (10, 11) aremounted elastically on the fixed supports (12).